Kathleen Falk backs Hilary Clinton for president and Dorothy Conniff announces her retirement

The state temporarily halts plans to sell the Department of Administration building downtown, after a real estate agent is accused of asking for kickbacks from a potential buyer. Larry Lupton of UGL Equis Corp. is charged with seeking a $75,000 kickback, in exchange for telling a potential buyer about rival bids. The state building was expected to sell for about $30 million.

Friday 5.11

St. Mary's Hospital confirms it reached a $1.9 million settlement with the family of a 16-year-old who died in childbirth. Jasmine Gant died last summer after a nurse at the hospital gave her the wrong medicine. The money will go to Gant's son, Gregory.

Saturday 5.12

Wesley Schubring, 44, of Stoughton, goes missing after an afternoon of boating on Lake Kegonsa. His 17-foot fishing boat is found drifting on the lake, unoccupied. The Dane County Sheriff's Office says Schubring likely fell overboard and is presumed drowned.

Sunday 5.13

The state Department of Tourism releases travel spending figures showing Dane County is the state's second highest travel destination, after Milwaukee. Tourists spent $1.2 billion in the county in 2006, a 20% increase over 2005.

Monday 5.14

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk announces that she is backing U.S. Sen. Hilary Clinton for president in 2008. Falk says she's excited by the prospect of a woman as president and calls Clinton "smart, strong, experienced." Mayor Dave Cieslewicz has endorsed former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina. Hey, why wait until the last minute? The election is only 18 months away!

Tuesday 5.15

Dorothy Conniff, longtime head of the city of Madison's Community Services office, announces she will retire on Sept. 4. Conniff has worked for the city for 30 years.

Wednesday 5.16

The state Senate approves a bill, 26-6, requiring hospitals to offer the morning-after pill to rape victims. The bill is expected to face a tougher battle in the Republican-controlled Assembly. Critics say the pill is akin to abortion; supporters disagree.

State Rep. Dave Travis (D-Madison) announces he won't run for re-election next year. Travis, 59, has served in the Assembly for 30 years.